


Gundam Wing Month - 2018

by lil_1337



Series: Morning After [15]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon Compliant, Chibis, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Get Together, Humor, M/M, Post canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-14 13:23:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 12,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16493393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: A collection of drabbles and short fics posted one a day for the month of November in celebration of Gundam Wing Month.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Bookbyte 
> 
> Prompt: Trowa and Heero apples

They’d been traveling for a while, Trowa driving in silence while Heero considered his next step. He’d offered his life in exchange for those he had taken; the lives of the men who were trying to mold a peace out of war. Even though he had been manipulated into destroying the plane that carried the doves he accepted responsibility for what he had done. His error in judgement made it his mistake to fix and a life for a life was the only thing that he knew that might begin to make it right. 

But he had been turned down by the granddaughter of Field Marshal Noventa and now he had to figure out what he was going to do next. He had been so sure that there would be no need to make plans beyond that meeting that he had no idea where to go or what to do and he hated this feeling of being in limbo with no mission to focus on. 

He picked an apple from the bag that was on the floor near his feet turning the fruit over in his hand as he inspected it for signs of spoilage. He and Trowa had stopped to purchase them several days earlier and the once overflowing bag was now almost empty. Like him. But unlike the bag Heero was a tool that had been misused. Put to work in the a way that was contrary to the nature it was designed for. 

Or was it? The thought skittered around his head. He was made for war, for death and destruction and he had achieved that. It could be that it was time to stop letting others determine what he was mean to be start deciding it for himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt - Relena - breakdown

For 

 

Relena rubbed her eyes and blinked trying to clear her vision. The numbers on the page had begun blurring together as she tried to make sense of them. There was something about the budget she was studying that just didn’t make sense. Her gut was telling her there was something dicey going on and the rumors she kept hearing about the owner of the construction company hired to build homes for veterans of the eve wars matched that. 

She’d broken down the numbers twice now and yet she still couldn’t find the discrepancy or the overages. Maybe she needed to take a trip out to the construction site, take Quatre and Rashid with her. They’d both worked construction before and knew what the look for in terms of quality and sustainability. She trusted them and their opinions carried a lot of weight with her and the senate as a whole. 

Decision made she closed the file firmly and set it to the side. There was nothing more she could do with it now and continuing to dwell on it would be a waste of time and energy. It was late and she still had several more files in her briefcase waiting for her attention.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For cailamaia
> 
> Prompt - Gen - fossils

_The ceremony to honor the five Gundam pilots will be held today at noon in the main reception hall of the ESUN building. The guest list is rumored to be a who's who of politicians, celebrities, and blue bloods. Afterwards there will be..._

Howard turned off the vid screen and ran a hand down his tie, straightening it and checking for any spots he might have missed. He couldn’t remember the last time he had even considered wearing a suit, let alone actually doing it. But this was important to the kid. All of them really, but the invitation had been from Duo, and that was who he was there to represent. It was one of the few times Howard wished he knew where the other scientists were. It would have been good for them and the boys to stand up and show their pride in their students. Things might not have gone the way operation meteor had been planned to, but in end the kids had achieved peace and that was what mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Sharona1x2 and Tyrelingkitten
> 
> Part three of the Trowa is a cat sitter fic
> 
> Part two which has a link to part one: https://lil-1337.livejournal.com/635321.html

Quatre set his glasses down on the desk, stretched, and rubbed his eyes. It had been a long day of meeting new people and adjusting to being on travel the result of which was he was beyond tired. He was just about to shut down his computer and try to get some much needed sleep when a message popped up that read _Trowa Barton wants to Skype_ with you. Concerned that something might be wrong with his boys Quatre quickly opened the program and logged in. 

The video quality was grainy and it moved slowly, but Quatre could see Trowa sitting on the couch with Caspar on his lap and Gustav laying next to him. Quatre blinked, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. He must have landed in an alternate universe, maybe flown through a spatial anomaly, if Gustav was being friendly to a virtual stranger.

“Hi. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything.” Trowa was smiling and for a moment the screen was just a blue blur that was the close up of his t-shirt. When he moved back the view was closer and a little bit clearer. 

“I was just about to go to bed so your timing was fine.” Quatre smiled. “How are the boys and how did you get Gustav to sit next to you? He doesn’t look like you drugged him or swapped with a doppleganger.” Quatre’s voice was light there was an undertone of seriousness and confusion. 

“They’re good.” Trowa chuckled. “I found his weakness.” He reached over and began scratching Gustav lightly behind the ears. The cat’s eyes closed almost immediately, and he relaxed into Trowa’s touch. 

Quatre leaned forward, stunned and slightly jealous though he was immediately embarrassed about it. He’d wanted someone to cat sit that would be good with his boys and it was silly to be anything but thrilled that he had found that. He was sure they would still love him the best, after all, he was their human and regular food source. 

“How was your trip?” Again the laptop moved, blurring everything on screen and this time when it stabilized Quatre could see what looked like treats on the table in front of it. Caspar immediately got up from Trowa’s lap and leaped onto the table, blocking most of Quatre’s view. With his boy so close Quatre instinctively reached out to pet him only to have his hand hit the screen. Sighing he leaned back in his chair to watch instead. It was frustrating to be this close and not be able to touch, but still, this was much better than not seeing them at all. 

After a moment his brain registered that Trowa had asked him a question. “I’m sorry. I missed what you said. I got distracted by Caspar.” 

“No problem he does tend to be an attention hog.” 

“That he is.” Quatre laughed, letting himself enjoy the illusion of being close. “The flight was good. No turbulence and we hit a tail wind which got us in twenty five minutes early.” 

“Nice.” Caspar shifted and now Quatre could see just a sliver of Trowa on the edge of the screen. He was still petting a blissful looking Gustav.

“It was. Today’s meetings were productive so we are off to a good start.” 

“Does that mean you might be home sooner than you planned?” 

“Probably not.” Quatre sighed. “Even if things continue to go well there is a lot of work to do to make sure the transition is seamless to the customers.” 

Caspar sniffed the screen then merped before jumping down giving Quatre a view of Trowa and Gustav again. 

Trowa picked up Gustav and set him on the table, petting his lightly so that Quatre could see him up close. “You look tired so I’m going to end the chat. I wanted you to see that the boys are doing well so you wouldn’t worry.” 

“Thank you!” Quatre sat forward again just in time to have a great view of Gustav’s butt as he jumped back onto the couch. “It helped. A lot.” He paused, shifting nervously. “Would you mind calling again tomorrow? Seeing them makes it feel less...” He made a vague gesture, not wanting to actually put the words out there. 

“Sure.” Trowa nodded then considered. “Would you rather initiate the chat? I’m going to be here studying all night so any time after three or so is good for me.” 

“Sure, no problem. Thank you again, I really appreciate this.” There was warmth in Quatre's voice that infused it with genuineness. 

“My pleasure.” Trowa smiled again and then he was gone. 

When Quatre slid into bed less than half an hour later he realized that despite being exhausted, in a strange place, and away from his boys, he was smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt - Heero/Duo - first date jitters

Heero smoothed his hair down then frowned at his reflection in the mirror. No matter what he did, his hair stubbornly refused to stay in place. On any other day he would not have cared. In fact he rarely even bothered to look, just combing it and going. But tonight was different, in a very important way. 

In a little less than an hour he would be picking up Duo for their first date. An event worth looking his best for. 

Everything else was perfectly in order. The dinner reservations had been confirmed. Twice, once by Quatre and once by Heero. The tickets to the comedy show that Duo had been talking about for weeks were tucked into the inside pocket of his blazer which was secured by a button. His outfit from the tip of his head to soles of his shoes had been hand selected by Quatre and Trowa with some input from Relena for maximum impact.

Even Heero, who had no interest in clothes beyond their utilitarian design, could tell his outfit was tasteful and tailored to fit in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Not one to leave anything to chance Heero had also made sure his car had gotten a complete cleaning and detailing package. 

Now, if he could just get his damn hair to cooperate maybe he could regain some of his legendary nerves of steel.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For bookbyte
> 
> Prompt - Wufei and pick of the four worst Halloween mess ever

When Wufei and Duo got a tip that one Michael S. Johnson, a known weapons dealer who has near the top of the Preventers most wanted list, was hiding out on his sister’s farm they had immediately headed out to see if there was any truth to it. Unfortunately, he had seen them first and decided to run. Something that criminals did much too often with generally very little success.

He’d jumped into the closest vehicle, a truck with pumpkins for the next day’s trip to the farmers’ market, and taken off down the rutted dirt road as fast as the old truck could go heading for the two lane highway at the end of the driveway. It hadn’t taken long for the combination of speed, lack of familiarity with the vehicle, and general recklessness had put the truck on its side in the middle of the blacktop. 

The road was coated in pumpkin detritus and painted a slippery orange from the guts that had been spilled. Mr. Johnson had escaped the wreck intact but had managed to break his leg when he tripped over a large section of pumpkin, lost his balance and went skidding down the road only to land face first in a puddle of squashed squash. 

It wasn't quite the glamorous capture that was shown on the vid screen, but they'd take it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For cailamaia
> 
> Prompt - 6x13 - modern AU
> 
> Morning After ‘verse

The coffee shop was almost empty which, given that the dawn was just beginning to pinken the horizon, was really not much of a surprise. Normally Zechs would have enjoyed first mug of tea at home, but then normally he would still be sound asleep in his soft, warm, bed at this ungodly hour. One of the perks of having worked so hard to build his reputation was that he set the hours he was available not the clients. 

In business, though, as in life there were always exceptions and Treize Kushranada was one of Zechs’. Not only was he gorgeous, rich, and a walking advertisement for Zechs’ shop, he was also the man who had given Zechs the stake he needed to start his clothing store in the first place. As well as being Zechs’ long time lover. They had never actually had the talk about becoming exclusive, but some where along the way it had happened and they were both comfortable with how the relationship had evolved. 

So, when it came down to a choice between a six am fitting or giving up their usual Wednesday lunch Zechs had opted for the one that would give him a chance to spend more time with his boyfriend in various states of undress, instead of less.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For bookbyte from the original prompt by mookiegatto
> 
> You can find part three here with a link to part two:
> 
> https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1061328.html?thread=5761744#cmt5761744 
> 
> Prompt - Lol but now that makes me want to see into poor Quatre's head as he doesn't know anything. I can just see Trowa's calm or amusement. And where's WuFei in all this?”

“I messed everything up.” Quatre’s voice was mournful, the full load of the grief was feeling infused through it.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Heero’s mad at me.” 

 

“Yep.” 

 

“Duo’s mad at me.” 

 

“Yep.” 

 

“They might take even longer to act on how they feel about each other because of what I did.” 

 

“Yep.” 

 

Quatre sighed, his head in his hands. “You’re not helping, Trowa.” 

 

Trowa snorted, highly amused, though there was compassion in his eyes. “I respect you enough not to lie to you or let you off the hook when you mess up. I also trust you to own up to your mistakes.” 

 

Quatre lifted his head. His expression was still distraught, but the barest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “That’s something I guess.” He sighed again as Trowa carded his fingers into Quatre’s hair and began massaging softly. “Is this where you tell me I need to do something to fix what I’ve done?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“No?”

 

“No.” Trowa’s voice was soft but firm. 

 

“Why no. I messed up, I should fix it. That’s what adults do right?” 

 

“You messed up by getting in the middle of something that was never yours to deal with in the first place. Leave it alone and let Heero and Duo figure things out for themselves. Trust them to do what they need to.” 

 

Quatre slumped back into the couch and sighed. “I hate not doing anything when I know the people I care about are struggling. I want to fix things and make everyone happy.” 

 

Trowa smiled, relaxing back so that his shoulder was flush was Quatre’s. “Yep.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: bookbyte
> 
> Link to previous part with a link to the one before that: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1065121.html?view=5806753&posted=1#cmt5806753
> 
> Prompt: Was there a bit explaining how Heero became sheriff and got together with Duo

“This town is going right to hell.” Doctor J threw his cards down in disgust and glared at his fellow poker players. “Between Dekim’s boys shooting things up from dawn to dusk and other folks defending themselves I don’t have have a damn minute to myself.” 

“I agree.” Master O picked up the discarded cards and began shuffling them back into the deck. “This land war has been good for business, but I would prefer a slower more natural rate. My young assistant spends all his time digging holes and filling them back up. Eventually I am going to bury him from overwork or run out of clients.” 

“What we need," Said Doctor J, taking a swig of his beer then wiping his mouth on his arm, “is a sheriff. A real long arm of the law to bring some civilization to this mud hole.”

“But who would take the job with Dekim on the rampage? It would basically be suicide unless you had nerves of steel and didn’t flinch at shooting a few people.” Master O paused long enough to scoop up his cards and fan them out to read. “ I thought at one time the saloon keeper would step up, but when I asked him he said he has enough of his own messes to take care of without worrying about other people's."

Professor G sighed then set his cards down. “I might have the solution to our problems. Howard sent me a telegraph the other day. Said he was sending a kid out this way that was handy with a gun and looking for work. I was going to have him watch the store at night, but sheriff would be even better. If he can clear out Dekim and set this town to rights I won’t need to pay for a guard because the town would be paying him to watch things for me.” 

“I knew you’d find a way to make a profit off of this.” Doctor J smirked as he picked up the deck and began shuffling. 

Master O chuckled, “This one time I am happy to let him.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Poly ship of your choice - meet cute

“Was he flirting with us?” Quatre pitched his voice low so that only Trowa could hear him. His eyes cutting to where Wufei, the newest member of the swim team, was standing under the outdoor shower, washing chlorine out of his hair and generally looking gorgeous.

“I think so.” Trowa grinned, a bit of a smirk catching at the edges. “He’s hot and he’s got that competitive streak that is always a lot of fun. I caught him looking at you when you were racing. I think he was drooling.” 

“He was doing the same thing to you were you were stretching before your race.” There was a husky undertone to Quatre’s words that caught and held Trowa’s attention the way a hunting dog goes on point at a bird. 

“Should we ask him out?” Trowa gestured with a nod towards where Wufei was walking towards them toweling his hair dry.

Quatre nodded slowly, and when he turned his attention to Trowa there was a fire smoldering in his eyes. “Yes, we definitely should.”


	11. Chapter 11

This fic is based on this incident that happened to Niall and Liam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx-9mbTGHXw 

 

The crowd roared as the beginning strains of Party Boys rolled out of the speakers accompanied by the sight of the members of Love Ninja streaming down the walkway style bridge that led to the B stage. It was set up a third of the way out into the middle of the arena to give more fans a chance to be up close and personal with the band. The stage itself was aglow with lights that appeared to flicker and flash in time with the yells from the crowd. 

Quatre hit the stage first with Duo at his heels, clapping, waving his hands, and whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Heero, Trowa, and Wufei followed on their heels lining up so they faced out from the other side of the stage. Trowa pointed to signs and blew kisses or pretended to look shocked depending on what was written on them. 

The music shifted, segwaying from the intro into the song itself. Duo hit his cue perfectly and the rest of guys continued waving and dancing to the music, bouncing from one side of the stage to the other in an attempt to give everyone the best show possible. At the bottom of the second verse Wufei picked up the melody, his voice low and intimate as if he was singing exclusively to each member of the audience. The sounds of the crowd, already at a fever pitch rose into a frenzy. Riding the wave of adoration the boys’ grins widened and their dancing became more animated, bordering on silly.

Trowa made a face then spun to look at Quatre, clearly telegraphing his intent to poke at his bandmate. The crowds loved it when they tackled each other, wrestled, or were generally goofy on stage. It made them more seem like the mostly normal, relatable, kids they were. Three steps forward and he bent at the waist to wrap his arms arounds around Quatre’s thighs, carefully avoiding his knees and potentially aggravating Quatre’s old knee injury that was currently twelve weeks post surgery and four weeks post crutches. They went down in a slow motion fall that Trowa controlled fairly well while the audience yelled and cheered him on. The sea of voices almost washed away the sound of Quatre hissing as his legs hit the stage, but Trowa caught it and the grimace of pain that accompanied it.

Trowa pulled away immediately, getting to his knees and giving Quatre room instead of doing his usual wrestling countdown to prove he had “won”. His normally triumphant grin was gone, replaced by a look of sheer horror and disbelief at the realization that he had hurt his friend. Quatre flinched as he slowly made his way to his feet, keeping his right leg bent slightly at the knee so most of his weight was being supported by his left. Once he was up he limped to the side of the stage, hitting his cue like the professional he was. 

Still kneeling Trowa’s horrified gaze flicked to Heero then back to Quatre. Heero’s nod acknowledging the situation seemed to pull Trowa out of his stupor and he climbed to his feet, his eyes never leaving Quatre even as he picked up the thread of the song. The audience was seemingly forgotten as Trowa failed to acknowledge the people calling his name. Quatre did a hop dance that put all his weight on his left leg and made his way over to one of the mic stands, using it to lean on while pretending he was goofing with it. 

The song ended, leaving the trek back to the main stage before them. Casually, as if he was just hanging with his good buddy, Duo draped an around Quatre’s shoulder giving him something to lean on. He pointed to Trowa then gestured for him to bend down. Duo then made a big show of getting ready to run and jump up on Trowa’s back. At the last moment he tagged Quatre in. Without missing a beat Quatre climbed up on Trowa’s back, letting himself be carried off stage. He swung his feet and wrapped his arms around Trowa’s neck, resting his chin on Trowa’s shoulder and grinning like a little kid. 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I thought I was being careful.” Trowa kept the performance smile on his face, but let his true feelings color his words. “Are you going to be okay?” 

“It hurts like fuck all, but yeah.” Quatre dipped his head, wiping the sweat off his forehead onto the shoulder of Trowa’s shirt, a move that would normally have ended with him being dropped unceremoniously to the floor. “It’ll be fine once I get some pain killers and ice the fuck out it.” 

Back on the main stage Trowa made his way to one of the sets of stairs the band used for props. He stood as close as possible so that Quatre could lower himself down onto the step with a grand gesture. When he was settled, Trowa plopped down next to Quatre, waving to the fans as if it was just business as usual not an attempt to keep Quatre from walking on his injured knee.. 

“I promise I will make it up to you.” Trowa let his guard down long enough to flash Quatre an honest smile.

“Yeah you will,” Quatre grinned back before flicking his microphone on and adding his voice to the chorus.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Gen - connectivity

From his seat in the front of the jeep, high on a ridge, Wufei admired the way the land spread out for miles below him. It was quiet here. Dusty and dry unlike most places he had spent time and that gave it a little bit of shine from simple novelty. Next to him Sally shifted in her seat and sighed, impatient with the wait and watch of surveillance. For Wufei it was a nice change to not have to be moving and on high alert all the time. He had been on his own for a long time and he had felt the loss of connection with other people acutely, especially when he was actively pushing them away.. 

Even when he had spent time working with the other pilots he had kept to himself, not wanting to take the risk of truly becoming friends with them. He had his goal, his warriors mission, and they were just tools in the arsenal he would use to accomplish it. Only it hadn’t turned out that way because life rarely followed the rules set down by men. It was more like a river, flowing and changing, sometimes spilling over its banks to create a new channel. 

That’s what Preventers was, a new direction, a way to accomplish his now larger goals without once again shouldering the job of saving humanity from itself all by himself.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt: Quatre/Trowa - last dance

Despite the fact that it was much closer to dawn than dusk the gala was only just beginning to wind down when Trowa and Quatre said their goodbyes and made their way out of the house. The musicians, the second group of the night, were playing something loud and jazzy which waffed out of the open windows and added a bit of a spring to their steps. 

The winding path they followed through the host’s extensive and immaculately cared for gardens was softly lit with paper lanterns so that the guests could make their way from the main house to the valet stand in elegant safety. At one of the bends in the path the song ended, changing into something slow and soft, which brought a smile to Quatre’s face. He caught Trowa’s hand, pulling him close and swaying gently to the music. Leaning into it Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre’s waist and fell into step, happily following where Quatre led him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: bookbyte 
> 
> You can find the previous part here with a link to the part before it - https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1065722.html#cutid1
> 
> Prompt: Trowa, Heero and Wufei as cats

You can find the previous part here with a link to the part before it - https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1065722.html#cutid1

 

Quatre startled, sitting up in bed, the fragments of the dream he had been immersed in clung like heavy cobwebs to his conscious mind. Next to him, Trowa stirred, rolling over as his eyes slowly opened a narrow slit. “Quat?” He mumbled, his voice thick and heavy with sleep. 

Stifling the urge to break into a somewhat hysterical laughter Quatre nodded. He knew Trowa might not be able to see it, but he was not willing to risk actually speaking until he had himself a little better under control. He reached out and ran a soothing arm down Trowa’s arm, while taking a calming breath to center himself. “It’s fine, Love. I had a strange dream is all.” 

“‘K. Tell me in the morning.” Trowa was already falling back to sleep even as he finished speaking. His breath, slow and deep, made a rumbling sound in his chest, almost like a cat purring and Quatre felt the laughter bubbling up inside him again in a way that would not be denied a second time. 

Grabbing his phone off the nightstand, Quatre slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Trowa as there was no way he would be able to explain himself in a coherent manner. At least not yet. Quietly he made his way down the hall to his office. Once inside, with the door securely closed, he plopped himself into his desk chair and laughed until he was calm enough to text Duo.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Tyreling> and cailamaia
> 
> Link the previous part: https://lil-1337.livejournal.com/634312.html
> 
> Prompts:: Ohhhh this is interesting! Will there be more of this? Or is it a one-off ficlet? and 1x2 - hacking

Duo leaned back in his chair and stretched, pleased with himself. It had taken a hell of a lot of work to get past the security protocols and firewalls to get into WEI's main frame but he had done it. More importantly, he had done it without tripping any alarms or alerting anyone to his presence. Sometimes muscling through was the easiest way to do things, but this particular case had called for stealth and finesse. Both of which he was damn good at,especially when it came to coding and finding the exploitable weaknesses in other people’s code.

The goal had been to sneak in, tweak a few lines without changing any of the functionality, and sneak out without anyone knowing he had been there. At least not until he was long gone. It was the computer security equivalent of the perfect limbo and Duo could go pretty damn low when he wanted to. This time he had wanted to. Had wanted to so badly he’d put his paying work on hold to focus all of his time and attention to it. 

He’d put his considerable skills into the project, spending hours on research and prep before making the actual attempt. It had worked on the first go and now, all he needed to do was to sit back and wait to see if anyone noticed what he had done. More importantly, if they followed his breadcrumb trail.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: sharona1x2
> 
> The link to the previous part which has a link to part one: https://lil-1337.livejournal.com/635816.html?thread=5891240#t5892776
> 
> Prompt: Part three of the fight - Trowa/Quatre"

“Debriefing finished?” Quatre leaned back in Trowa’s chair as the owner of said chair let himself into the office he shared with Heero. 

Trowa startled his hand going to where his weapon would have been if he had been wearing it, expecting to find his office empty, then sighed. His demeanor clearly acknowledged defeat and he dropped into the chair on the other side of his desk. “It took longer than I expected. I thought you would have headed home already. It's late.” 

“I was going to, but Wufei caught me after I showered and I got sidetracked talking to him for a while.” 

“Is everything okay?” Trowa frowned, genuine concern on his face. 

“Yes.” Quatre’s expression softened for a moment. “He wanted to see if we were still going to come over on Saturday and help him move into his new place.” 

“What did you tell him?” 

“Yes. We said we would.” 

“We did.” Trowa nodded his agreement then started to rise. “It’s late we should get home. Do you want to take both cars or just one?” 

“Trowa…” Quatre sighed. “Look, I’ve been thinking about what you said before. Maybe I was being unfair. I don’t know. We fought two wars together and we have a lot of history, but the truth is we come from very different places and maybe I didn't really understand what you were saying because I haven’t lived the life you have.“ He stood, then walked around the desk so he could seat himself in the chair next to Trowa’s, putting them on an equal level. “So, if you want to start again I promise to listen instead of just trying to make you see my point of view. Between the two of us I’m sure we can work out something that will make both of us happy.”

Smiling, Trowa stood and offered Quatre his hand. “I think we can too. But tomorrow. Tonight I want to take you home and fall asleep in your arms.” 

Quatre stood, pulling Trowa close for a kiss. “That, is something I can completely agree with.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Continuation of the Ant*fa story. 
> 
> Link to part one: https://lil-1337.dreamwidth.org/1063870.html#cutid1

The hot steamy air pressed down on Trowa, making him conscious of each breath. Even with the air conditioning on high he could feel the sweat soaking his clothes and his hair. They were still about two hours away from their destination, but the discomfort in his shoulder had been enough to push him over the edge into wakefulness. 

He’d already taken his shift, driving through the cooler, less humid night and now it was Duo’s turn behind the wheel or had been when Torwa had fallen asleep. At some point he and Heero had switched places because Heero was the one behind the wheel now. 

In the front seat Duo appeared to be asleep, his head on a pillow that was propped up against the window. Cathy was curled up on the seat next to Trowa, her head on his leg and her feet on the door armrest. Trowa shifted carefully, taking some of the pressure off his shoulder without disturbing Cathy. They had an intense few days ahead of them, so the more rest they had going in the better. 

“How did you sleep?” Heero’s voice was pitched low to keep from waking the other passengers. Not that it was necessary, both Duo and Cathy were capable of sleeping through anything short of major earthquake or a large explosion. 

“Okay.” Trowa rotated his shoulder, feeling the tension from the strange position he had slept in start to fade. “I can drive if you need a break.” 

“We just traded off an hour ago when we stopped for gas. I can make the rest of it easily. It should only be a couple more hours. ” 

“Okay.” Trowa reached for the cooler down by his feet, and pulled out a bottle of water that was covered with water and tiny bits of ice. “Water?”

“Yes.” Heero smiled. “Thank you.” 

Trowa took the top off with a quick snap of his wrist then handed it over the seat. Heero drank deeply then handed the half empty bottle back to Trowa who replaced the cap before pulling another one out for himself. 

“Jay said he heard there is going to be an informal rally on campus tonight even though the permit is for tomorrow. Kind of a lead in to rev themselves up.” 

“Fuck me.” Trowa growled. “It’s a good thing we decided to head down early. I’m sorry you won’t get to spend the evening with Jay like you planned, but there is no way we can let that go.” 

Heero nodded. “We can catch up another time. I’m concerned about the potential for violence. He said the town feels like it is holding its breath and waiting for something to happen.” 

“What is the college doing? Did Jay say?” 

“Not much.” Heero frowned, deeply displeased by what he was saying. “There are several student organizations speaking tomorrow to urge for peace and reconciliation, but we know how well that works.” 

Trowa sighed. “The world needs idealists and dreamers too I guess.” 

“Yes.” Heero was serious, his tone solemn. “We need them to visualize a better way and us to protect them so they can achieve those dreams.” 

“Will we have time to shower when we get to Jay’s before we have to head over to the campus? I feel disgusting.” Trowa sniffed himself and made a face. “I smell disgusting too.” 

Heero chuckled then gestured for Trowa to hand him back the bottle of water. “I’m sure we can arrange something. If not for your comfort than for the comfort of the rest of us.” 

“You’re a true friend, Heero and I appreciate your concern for my well being.” Trowa smirked, amusement clear on his face.

Heero downed the rest of the water then tossed the empty bottle onto the floor where it joined a bunch of its brethren. “Yes, I know.” 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*

Quatre pushed his hair back out of his eyes then took a long drink from his water bottle. It had been a gift from Wufei and was made of metal and glass wrapped in a pale blue silicone covering. The few remnants of ice that had not yet melted made a tinking sound against the sides signaling that what water was left would not be cold for long. They were almost done so it was not worth the effort to walk all the way over to the water cooler to refill it. He was ready to go back to his dorm and bask naked in the chill of the air conditioner.

The raised stage was set up at one end of the grassy area that made up the center of campus, ready for the speeches later that day. It was empty except for a single microphone stand. The microphone itself was packed away and would be brought out later when the sound system was set up. They had debated having a podium but in the end had voted no to keep from making the audience feel as if it was at a lecture. A sense of connection and togetherness would be more easily fostered if everyone was on the same level. The stage and the sound system were necessary concessions to accessibility 

There was plenty of room for people to sit or stand and the grass was soft and inviting. Though honestly, no one was expecting a huge turn out. Summer school had a much lower attendance rate and many of students that were on campus were either afraid or did not want to get involved in anything that might be considered controversial. Despite understanding their fears it still made Quatre angry. Things would never get better unless people took a stand. 

A statement needed to be made, even if it was a small one, that hatred was not and never would be welcome. If they could just get people to stop and listen, to examine themselves, their history, and their privileges he was sure that they would come to understand that everyone had the right to safe, happy, existence. Maybe he was naive. Wufei had certainly said that often enough, but Quatre was not ready to give up on humanity just yet. 

He looked around, noting that there was several groups of young men, their body language radiating hostility and arrogance, watching as the student council finished up their preparations. That in and of itself wasn’t unusual, but there was something about them that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He laughed at himself and shook his head, Wufei’s paranoia was getting to him. He drained the last of his water and did another visual survey of the area. Everything was as ready as he could make it. Now it was time to head back to the dorm and make himself ready as well.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: bookbyte
> 
> Prompt: Quatre and Duo pumpkin patch

“What do you think?” Quatre pointed to a large orange pumpkin. It was beautifully shaped but would definitely take both of them to carry as its diameter was wider than the span of either of their arms.

“I like it.” Duo circled the pumpkin and nodded his approval. He flicked it listening to the hollow thump that issued from inside. “It’ll be great for the kids to take pictures with if we carve it right.” He turned his attention back to where he had been examining pumpkins a moment before. “We should get a couple of these white ones too.” 

Quatre grinned. “Yes! And one of the strange warty ones would look great out front. We could make a pile of a few different kinds.”

“Yeah!” Duo was already sawing away at the stem of one of the ghost pumpkins that had caught his eye. “The kids’ll love them.”

“Lets get them picked and hauled down to the wagon then we can go see how Heero and Trowa are doing with the apples.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt: Love Ninja - Something fun

“We’re here with Love Ninja to get the inside scoop on how the boys are doing on their first world tour.” The woman conducting the interview was attractive in the bland, blonde, white woman kind of way that Hollywood and the media prefer. However, her smile at least, appeared to be genuine. She turned, taking the camera with her to face her guests who had been sitting quietly on a couch and chairs next to her. “Welcome to the show.” When they all returned her greeting she continued. “So, tell me, what is the best thing about being on tour.”

Duo answered immediately, his expression open and earnest. “The fans.” When the yelling from the audience quieted he continued, egged on by the nods from his band mates. “We have the best fans ever. They are so supportive and it is amazing to meet them and give them something back after all they have done for us. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

The interviewer smiled and the camera panned out across the crowd of cheering fans. When it returned to her face she looked at Trowa. “What about you? What was your favorite thing so far?”

Trowa considered. “Well Duo stole my answer.” He made a face at Duo who made one back. “I guess it would be meeting new people.” 

Wufei rolled his eyes. “That’s the same thing, Trowa.” 

“Not really,” Trowa frowned, his expression serious and thoughtful. “I don’t just mean fans. We’ve met a lot of interesting people who had no idea who we are. You know, just people who live in the places we play. Or work at the arenas. Just regular people doing what they do.”

She nodded, dismissing Trowa, then turned to Quatre who was practically vibrating with restrained energy. Before she could even ask the question he burst out with “the food” and sent the other boys into peals of hysterical laughter. Quatre grinned and leaned into Heero’s shoulder. Pleased with himself. 

Still laughing, Wufei leaned over and patted Quatre on the shoulder. “Quatre travels on his stomach.” 

“He does everything on his stomach.” Trowa added, an affectionate grin on his face, sending the other four boys back into hysterics. 

The interviewer watched, seemingly completely unprepared for the antics of high energy teenage boys.

“Sorry about that.” Heero smiled, his gaze taking in each of the others and reminding them to focus. “We’re all pretty tired and a little giddy.” 

She smiled back, grabbing at this comment like a lifeline. “There is a rumor that you will sleep in the bus even when you don’t have to. Is there any truth to that?” 

Heero nodded. “I don’t sleep well or easily in new places so I prefer to hang out on the bus. It’s not as nice, but its familiar and makes a big difference.” 

Back on solid ground the interviewer nodded sagely. “We have some questions from the fans. First, from _Duo is my bae_ who takes the longest to do their hair?” 

“Trowa.” The answer was immediate and unanimous, surprising both the interviewer and the audience judging by the explosion of confused and excited voices. 

Trowa shrugged, his expression more unrepentant than embarrassed. “It takes a lot of work to make it look this good.”

“We have time for one more question.” She glanced down at the card and in her hand. “This is from _Mrs.Chang123_ ” She glanced at Wufei who was completely unfazed by the user name. “She asks, what is your favorite food?” 

“Pizza.” 

Duo was first to respond, followed almost immediately by Quatre. “Italian.” 

Wufei was next. “Japanese. I love all kinds sushi.” 

“Green chili enchiladas.” Heero added after a moment of consideration. “Though chili cheese french fries are a very close second.” 

“Chocolate.” Trowa smirked then flashed the camera his most charming grin. His band mates groans and rude comments were quickly overwhelmed by the sound of theme music rising to signal that their time was up.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt - 3x4 - werewolves or other relevant myth
> 
> Set in the Morning After 'Verse

Trowa frowned, staring at the morning paper which was open to the crossword puzzle he liked to do while eating breakfast. “Eleven letter word for werewolf that ends with e?” 

“Lycanthrope.” Quatre took a sip of his coffee, his eyes not leaving the article he had been rereading for his first class of the day. 

“Do I even want to know how you know that?” 

Quatre looked up and grinned, his expression slowly morphing into a smirk. “Teen Wolf fanfiction,” 

Trowa grimaced and lowered his gaze back to the paper. “I knew I should never have introduced you to Duo!”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt: Any ensemble members - stolen ice cream truck

“Did that guy just steal an ice cream truck to use as a getaway car?” Duo pointed at the vid screen then shook his head before turning to look at Heero incredulously. 

Heero nodded in agreement. “He did, though I’m not sure why. It would not be my first choice. Or even in my top ten.” 

“What would be?” Trowa asked.

“A gundam.” Quatre sighed wistfully, staring off into space, somewhere far from the slow speed chase on the vid screen. “Sandrock never failed me.” 

“Second choice.” Duo threw in, nudging Quatre gently. 

“Motorcycle.” Wufei and Trowa said at the same time. 

“Good choice. They have speed, maneuverability, and can into places a larger vehicle can’t.” Heero nodded his agreement. "But they also lack armament.” 

“Armament is only good if you are going into a firefight. Otherwise speed is your best asset.” Wufei countered. “I would rather have something that is going to jam communications than weapons if I am outnumbered and outgunned.” 

“Stealth all the way, baby!” Duo yelled causing everyone else to crack up laughing. On the screen the man surrendered without a fight.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: 6x9 - magic

Fairy lights lit the room with a soft glow that was reminiscent of the terrestrial night sky On the floor of the otherwise spartan quarters was a blanket. One of the few precious personal items allowed on an exploration mission where personal and storage space was at a premium, even for the mission leader. 

Dinner was simple, nutritious and filling. It was served on reusable trays that would have to be returned to the mess area along with the silverware and any uneaten food. It would definitely not rate three stars, but it was better than edible and given the situation that was really all they could ask for. 

It wasn’t the fancy wedding night that Noin had dreamed of as a little girl that was for sure. Her mother would be horrified if knew. But, she was with Zechs and really that was all that mattered.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia and the original prompt from sel_barton
> 
> The previous part can be found here with a link to the part before: https://lil-1337.livejournal.com/633432.html#comments
> 
> Prompt: Gen - survival

The first rays of pink were just creeping over the edge of the horizon when Relena uncurled from the seat where she had spent the night. The cold had caused the torn muscles in her back and ribs to tense up, sending pain signals exploding into her brain when she tried to rise. 

She half fell back onto the seat, unsuccessfully fighting back tears of pain and frustration and lay there for a few moments until the ache began to subside. When it was at a bearable level she eased herself back up into a sitting positions and began the slow stretches that had helped the night before. She did what she could sitting first then when she could feel the tension starting to relax she stood slowly and worked through them again, moving carefully and making sure not to aggravate her injuries.

By the time she was able to stand up straight and take a few tentative steps the sun was already peeking over the horizon. Hunger and thirst gnawed at her and she tried to push them aside, but her body was not going to let itself be denied any longer. Pain, fear, and, exhaustion no longer had the power to overcome them. If she was going to survive, and she was determined to do so, finding water and then food had to be her first priority. 

She’d had a bottle of water with her before the crash, but where it was now was anyone’s guess. She studied the wreckage for a moment, determining the previous location of her seat and started slowly towards the the front of the plane. Her back and ribs complained as she wove through and over debris, but it was nothing she couldn’t ignore. Twice she had to stop to catch her breath, but it took less time than it had the day before. She took this as a good sign and almost smiled for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. 

Miraculously, the water bottle had gotten jammed between the wall and the frame of her seat so she didn't have to search for it. The water was still cool from the night air and she forced herself to take sips instead of gulping it down like she wanted to do. The chill of the water sharpened the hunger pains in her stomach causing it to tighten and roil with displeasure.

When it was empty, she crushed the bottle and leaned back, closing her eyes. She felt a little better, a little less tired and a tiny bit more hopeful. The water had helped, even as it had reminded her how acutely her body needed fuel. There had been a cooler with snacks and lunches, but it was not where she had last remembered it being. 

She needed to do a complete search of the wreckage and the surrounding area to find out what if any food was left. She also needed to check to see if the radio was still operational. That was first priority and one of that she was embarrassed to admit she had overlooked. Confusion, fear, trauma had overridden logic and good sense. Steeling herself against the knowledge that she would have to face Randy’s lifeless body she stood and began to make her way towards the cockpit. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Roger set his breakfast tray down then slid into the seat across from Heero. “One of the planes spotted some wreckage on a fly over first thing this morning.” At his side Wufei set his fork down on the table with a little more force than was needed, his attention focused lazer sharp on the conversation. “It’s in dense forest so the pilot couldn’t get much in terms of details. “ Roger looked at each one of them, eyes lingering the longest on Wufei. “But, he said the debris field was large.” 

Duo swallowed loudly and Heero leaned into him as he nodded, acknowledging that they understood a large debris field meant the plane was going to pieces in the air. That made it much more likely they were dealing with a crash instead of a controlled landing. It didn’t automatically mean that there were no survivors just that the likelihood decreased sharply.

The mask of emotional distance that Wufei was wearing slipped slightly when Quatre took his hand and squeezed it, but he slammed it back in place before anyone who didn’t know him well would see it. “What is the plan?” 

“The closest we can get you is still going to be a couple of miles of hiking over rough terrain.” 

“Understood.” Heero rose, signaling to the others to do the same. “We will be ready for wheels up in fifteen minutes.” 

It was closer to twelve minutes when Duo, the last one aboard, dropped into his seat and snapped his seatbelt shut signaling that they were set for liftoff. 

“We will do an initial flyover of the site before proceeding to the landing point. This will give us a chance to determine the distance, direction, and severity of the terrain.” Heero spoke quietly, his voice radiating calm. “The pilot will get as close to the ground as he can and reduce speed as much as possible. Once we are at the site we will determine how to move forward.” 

“If she’s there, we’ll find her. No matter what it takes.” Quatre promised, though the change in wording from rescue to find was not lost on anyone. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite the lingering chill Wufei could feel the sweat soaking into the back of his shirt. Heero had set a grueling pace, one that would have left a seasoned soldier in the dust and tried even the enhanced metabolisms of the other pilots. They had stopped twice for water and once for protein bars. Though stopped was really a misnomer, as it was more of a slowing than an actual break because they never stopped moving.

They moved silently, single file, using hand signals to communicate. It wasn’t strictly necessary, but all of them had fallen back into mission mode to keep their thoughts focused and their emotions in check. The brush of branches against canvas and the sound of boots hitting compacted dirt or rock were the only sounds to mark their passing. 

Wufei appreciated the how much they were pushing. Not only would it get them to Relena faster, he refused to let himself dwell on the idea that she might not be waiting there for him at the end, it forced him to focus on his body, to keep to think only of regulating the in and out of his breath, where to put his feet and what was around him. That was what he needed right now, because allowing his mind to wander would leave him emotionally untethered and that made him a risk to everyone in the party.

They were almost a mile out when they saw the first pieces of wreckage. Breathe, in and out, Wufei told himself. Don’t think about what you might find, live only in this moment. There were more pieces as they got closer and Wufei catalogued them all with an emotional detachment that was more Trowa’s coping mechanism than his own. None were large or appeared to be vital, at least to his untrained eye. 

The main body of the plane was under a clump of trees. It had hit the ground at an angle and slid in like a knife in a sheath with the wings acting as the hasp. Even from quite a distance out they could see that the whole back end was missing. Wufei took a deep breath and forced himself to look, to study what was left of the plane in search of survivors. A marking on the side caught his eye and he swayed, would have fallen to his knees if Trowa and Duo hadn’t caught him. 

“Wufei? “ Quatre moved in close, running a hand up and down Wufei’s arm. “What’s wrong? What happened? Did you see something?” His eyes scanned the area, looking for what Wufei might be reacting to.

“No. Yes.” Wufei’s voice was soft and he allowed Trowa and Duo to continue to support him as he took solace in their solid strength. The adrenaline rush of fear and relief robbing him of his. “That’s not Relena’s plane.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: 5xR - art

Wufei spun, his sword catching the light as it cut soundlessly through the air. From her seat on the floor Relena watched his movements under the guise of stretching to loosen up for their sparring session. There was something about seeing him lost in swordplay that entranced her and left her breathless at the beauty. It was like seeing a ballet that was written and choreographed just for her or a piece of master artwork come to life. There was the intensity and focus that marked everything Wufei did, but it balanced with a serenity which was absent from most of the rest of his life. In these moments when it was just him and his sword, a poetry of blended movements, where he seemed to be the most at peace.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: cailamaia
> 
> Prompt: Pairing of your choice - guilt

“I’m sorry.” Quatre’s eyes flitted from the blood stained shirt next to Trowa on the gurney then back to his face, lingering on where Trowa was pressing a large absorbent pad to his side. 

“I know.” Trowa smiled slightly then winced as it pulled on the already darkening bruise on the side of his face and reopened the split on his lip. “You did what you needed to.” 

Quatre nodded and handed Trowa another pad to trade out for the one he had been using. “It was the best option. He would have killed you if we hadn’t taken him out.” 

Trowa traded out the pads, handing the bloody one to Quatre so he could throw it in the biohazard bin. “He would have. This..” He gestured to where the bullet had grazed his side. “...will heal. It’s clean and you barely touched me.” He started to smile again then stopped as soon as he felt the first twinge of pain. Using his free hand he tugged Quatre close, making sure that they were eye to eye. “If things had been reversed I would have done the same thing.” 

Letting out a slow breath, Quatre smiled back. It was a little watery, but genuine. “Now I just need to convince Cathy it was the right thing.” 

Trowa chuckled then leaned in to kiss Quatre lightly on the corner of his lips. “Good luck with that.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: Sharona1x2, broken_doll_86, and okaasan59
> 
> You can find the previous part here: https://lil-1337.livejournal.com/626265.html?thread=5849945#t5849945
> 
> Sequel to Rich kid!Zechs having to take his sister and her bratty friends to his first college party

So far the party had not been what Zechs had been expecting. There was a lot more talking and eating and a lot less of the drunken antics that movies and tv had led him to expect. There was nary a pool or a pool table to be found. In fact, if you changed the music and the clothing it would have been a lot like the parties he and Relena used to spy on from the second floor landing before they were old enough to be allowed to attend. 

Still, he had come to see Lu not a chance to hone his skills at beer pong or competitive vomiting. All things considered that was good because he’d never actually played ping pong and he hated the taste of regular beer, especially the cheap kind that seemed to be popular among the the attendees. His feelings about puking were not even worth thinking about. 

The question of the moment was what to do that would not embarrass himself or Lu to the point where she never wanted to talk to him ever again? She seemed to be making the rounds, talking to all her guests and he didn’t want to follow around behind her like a sad high school puppy, because really, that was the last thing he needed after having to admit that he had brought his sister and her nerdy friends along. He scanned the room and his gaze settled on Cathy. Making a decision he pushed off from the wall and headed over to where she was lounging on the couch, sipping a drink and watching the door. 

“Take a load off.” Cathy gestured to the cushion next to her. 

“Thank you.” Zechs settled himself on the couch with graceful ease. Trying not to show how grateful he was to have someone to talk to. “And thank you for taking care of Relena and her friends.” He realized as he spoke that he meant it. Not just because it got them out of his hair, but also he knew they were safe and he could focus on enjoying his first college party.

Cathy nodded, a slight smile gracing her face. “No problem. I’ve been dragging Trowa and his friends around with me for years. I know how it is to have Tagalogs you need to watch cramping your style,”

“Yeah.” Zechs squirmed under her studied gaze. “They aren’t bad most of the time, but this is something different.” 

“I get it.” Cathy smiled sympathetically. “Having younger siblings is a pain sometimes, but it's good too.” 

“Yes it is.” Zechs let his gaze drift to where Lu was making her way to the refreshment table. He noted with smug pride that she was carrying a half full bottle of the ale he had brought. Maybe things weren’t going so badly after all. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“What is the point of this game?” Wufei frowned, his focus divided between the strange cartoon cars on the screen and where Relena was sitting, nodding intently at the advice Duo was giving her. 

“It’s fun.” Duo half turned to give Wufei a look that implied he was interacting with an alien species.

“It also increases hand eye coordination, aids in learning sportsmanship, and teaches fast problem solving.” Heero’s voice went deadpan but the corners of his lips curled up. “And it is good for your self esteem when you beat your friends five or six times in a row.” 

Trowa snorted and Duo rolled his eyes in response, but neither one seemed particularly offended by Heero’s comment. 

Somewhat mollified but still not pleased Wufei shifted to look at Quatre who was leaning forward, his laser sharp attention completely zoned in on what was happening on the screen. Quatre’s complete lack of wariness made him relax a little. He trusted Quatre’s judgement even if he generally didn’t share his willingness to take social risks. 

When the race finished with Relena in a respectable 3rd place just barely nudging out Duo, she stood and offered the controller to Wufei who shook his head. She shrugged then offered to it Quatre. He accepted it, studying the unfamiliar buttons and toggles the way like a scientist would a fascinating new specimen. 

“Do you need some help?” Trowa smiled up at Quatre from his seat in front of the tv. 

“Yes, please. At least until I figure out how each thing correlates to what is happening on the screen.” 

Trowa scooted a little to the side and gestured to the carpet next to him. “I can give you a crash course.” 

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Quatre lowered himself down so that he was sitting cross legged and held the controller, making small movements with his hands as he tried to find the most comfortable position to hold it in. 

“You’ll get used to it.” Duo leaned forward to speak across Trowa. “After a while you’ll get gamers calluses like the rest of us.” He set his controller down and held his hands palm up to demonstrate what he was saying. 

Quatre laughed and did the same. “I already have a few from playing the violin and fencing.” 

“You’re ahead of the pack then.” Duo grinned and picked his controller back up, using his other hand to shove an Oreo in his mouth. “Okay. Ready when you guys are.” 

*~*~*~*~*~*

“I like it.” Lu leaned one shoulder against the wall, the picture of casual and relaxed. She took another drink of the ale to emphasize her point and smiled. “Are you having fun?” 

“I am.” Zechs smiled back. “You are a very gracious hostess.” 

Lu chuckled. “You’ve been taking charm lessons from your sister’s friend.” She paused, searching her memory. “Quatre, right.” 

“Yes.” Zechs frowned, displeased at the compliment. “He’s a good _kid_. Most of the time. When he and Relena aren’t talking each other into things.” 

“That’s what good friends are for. To talk you into things then have your back when they go horribly wrong.” 

“It sounds like there is a story there.” Zechs smiled. 

“Oh, more than than one.” Lu grinned and her eyes cut to Cathy before returning to Zechs. 

“I’d like to hear them.” For a split second Zechs forgot to be cool and his genuine interest showed through.

Tilting her head, Lu studied him for a moment then seemed to make a decision. “When are you going to be 18?” 

“January 10th.” 

“Call me on the 11th and I might be willing to tell you one or two.” 

All pretenses gone, Zechs smiled widely, mentally doing a victory dance even as he etched the date into his brain. 

*~*~*~*~*~*

“That was more difficult than I thought. I underestimated how important muscle memory is. The strategy is more intensive in the moment than it…” Quatre trailed off as he realized that everyone was staring at him. Embarrassed he set the controller to the side. “I’m sorry. That was rude.” 

“Dude!” Duo grinned, his smile almost maniacal with excitement. “You only played twice and almost beat Heero. That’s awesome!” He paused, eyes narrowing. “You aren’t fucking with about being a newbie right?” 

“Scouts honor.” Quatre made the sign and hesitantly smiled, his eyes widening to the perfect image of innocence. 

Wufei snorted and nudged Quatre with his toe. “Don’t let him fool you, he was never a boy scout. But I can attest to the fact that he has never played video games before.” 

“So can I.” Relena chimed in. 

Duo relaxed, his eyes flicking to Heero and then Trowa. “What other games do we have?”

Heero pulled the stack close and picked up the top case then set it to the side. “Gauntlet Dark Legacy, Time Splitters 2, Tales of Symphonia, Wind Waker, Final Fantasy, and …” He stopped at the last game and held it up with a grin. “Super Smash Brothers.” 

Trowa reached across Quatre and grabbed the case before giving him a wicked grin. “Wait til you play this one. You're gonna love it.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For : morgan_idril
> 
> Prompt: fishing gundam style

Heero watched as the dot on the tracker made a slow, steady path away from the munitions dump. The thief or thieves had taken the bait and were carting off what they thought was unregistered, scrap gundanium. The hook was set and they were letting the line play out. As soon as they went to ground, giving Preventers the location of their base and the bits of gundanium that had been going missing from all over the world it would be time to reel them in.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdsnowflake  
> Prompt: Wufei - doubt

Wufei was sure that Relena loved him and he knew from the talks they’d had that she not only could picture their lives together, she was planning for it. They’d set enough long term goals that he knew it was real. And yet, there was still a part of him that felt he was not worthy and one day she would wake up and realize it too. Most of the time he could just brush it away, but once in a while it got stuck under his skin and not even seeing Relena’s face light up when he walked in the room was enough to put the doubts to rest. 

Those were hard moments, sometimes leading to hard days, but Wufei was a warrior, born to long line of warriors and he was not about to just give up on Relena or the relationship they had worked so hard to build. Not for anyone and especially not for his own weaknesses.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: ysabet
> 
> Prompt: SNOWBALL FIGHT. Gundam style

Quatre ducked behind a wall as two snowballs hit the bricks where his head had been just a moment before, in rapid succession. He counted to ten then quickly peeked over, verifying what he already knew, Alex and Mueller, two of the older kids in the neighborhood were being assholes again. Actually, still, since they never seemed to not be assholes. For some reason, probably because he went to a private school and walked alone, Alex and Mueller had decided that Quatre would be a great target for harassment. Once again, he wished that he went to the large elementary with his friends instead of the academy. At least then he could walk with them instead of the opposite direction.

Trowa and Duo had offered to teach them a lesson, but Quatre had turned them down flat. It galled him to have other people fighting his battles for him. That and he didn’t want to be responsible for them being in trouble yet again. There was no way Alex and Mueller wouldn’t immediately tattle to Cathy and Howard. That’s the kind of jerks they were. 

The martial arts Quatre was learning at Wufei’s family’s dojo were going well, but there was no way that he had the skills or the strength to take on two bigger kids. At least not yet. Thinking about the day that he would was one of his favorite day dreams. 

What he did have though, were brains and good friends who were skilled with chemistry, physics, and improvised weapons. He and Heero had spent the whole weekend experimenting with making snowballs and working on Quatre’s aim. They had decided on no rocks, that was cheating and left evidence. What they had planned was much, much, better. 

Quatre gathered couple of handfuls of soft snow and quickly compressed them into a clumsy snowball. He peeked over the wall again then ducked before raising back up and making a half hearted toss. The snowball landed with a quiet plop at Alex’s feet and he kicked at it sending snow into the air. 

“Come on loser, you can do better than that.” Alex laughed as if his comment was the most clever thing ever said in the history of the world. 

“Yeah. Sissy boy.” Mueller added. “I’ll even get closer and give you a free shot.” 

Behind the wall, Quatre grinned. This is exactly what he had hoped for. He pulled a gallon sized ziploc bag from his backpack and carefully removed two of the specially made snowballs he'd retrieved from the freezer this morning. 

Standing up he schooled his features into an indignant scowl. “I’m not a sissy!” 

Alex and Mueller exploded with laughter, then gestured to Quatre to bring it. Taking a deep breath, he threw. The first one caught Alex in the stomach, knocking the air out of him with an oof. Almost immediately after the second hit Mueller in the shoulder knocking him back on his ass. 

Grabbing two more, Quatre let them fly as well. Number three hit Alex in the chest sending him back into the snow. Four ricocheted off of Mueller’s shin, shooting straight up into the air. As Quatre watched it hit the peak of its trajectory and then plummeted to the Earth to bounce squarely off of Mueller’s junk. The howl that accompanied the contact made Quatre wince in sympathy.

Stashing the rest of the snowballs back in his bag, Quatre stepped out from behind the wall, grinning. “Thanks for the snowball fight, guys. I hope we can do this again tomorrow!” Giving them a cheery wave he headed off down the sidewalk towards school.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For: 4bdsnowflake
> 
> Prompt - Morning after - Trowa/Quatre - running into Darren

“Quatre?” The guy was drop dead gorgeous. Wavy black hair skimmed soft brown eyes that were currently locked onto Quatre like a heat seeking missile. His cheekbones and everything else that Trowa could see looked like it had been lovingly chiseled out of the finest marble then brought to life like a damn Greek god or something. The rest of him was covered in clothes that spoke of generations of wealth and privilege; the assumption that only the best would do. If he had been alone Trowa might have given the guy a second, appreciative, look but he wasn’t and every fiber of his being was keyed into the way that Quatre was stretched so tight that if you bounced a quarter off of him it would probably be launched into space.

“Darren.” On the surface Quatre sounded polite but disinterested. However, the undertone held depths of wariness that bled into pure malice. His smile was courteous, but the blue of his eyes was like an ice chip instead of its usual sunshine sky warmth. 

“How exciting to see you on one of your rare moments out. Now I know what it must be like to see an exotic species while on safari.” The edge in Darren’s smile more than counterbalanced the softness of his eyes. “To what do we owe the honor of your presence? Did you need some air after finishing next semesters assignments?” Without giving Quatre a chance to respond he turned his attention to Trowa, looking him up and down as if he was a piece of meat being offered for inspection “You must be the new boy toy I’ve heard about. “He flicked his gaze in Quatre’s direction. “You _do_ need to spend some of your daddy’s money on clothes for the poor boy. His look positively threadbare.” Darren wrinkled his nose then flashed a heart stoppingly beautiful smile at Trowa. “You are lovely arm candy, in a very slumming kind of way of course, I’ll grant you that. Quatre has always had excellent taste in accessories.” 

“It’s improved a lot since I learned to look for quality instead of just a pretty surface.” Quatre’s pointed look brought a flush to Darren’s cheeks. Eyes narrowing, he pursed his lips in a way that stripped him his face of its attractive trappings. 

After a moment his features relaxed and he snorted as if amused. “Well, I’m glad your daddy isn’t stingy like you and bought you someone pretty. Fortunately for him he he’ll have low bedroom mileage when you trade him in for a newer model.” 

Trowa snorted, a wicked grin curving his lips. “If you did then you weren’t doing him right.”

Quatre’s laugh, warm and full of promise, cut through whatever Darren was about to say turning the heads of people passing by. 

Darren’s glaze flicked from Trowa to Quatre and then back again. Surprise and displeasure mixing and mingling on his face. Fluttering his hand in a dismissive way he pushed past, but turned to throw a parting shot over his shoulder before disappearing into the crowd. “New money is just trash painted gold. And Trash always finds its own kind.”

Trowa growled low in his throat like a big cat ready to spring and took a step forward only to be jerked to a stop when Quatre grabbed his arm. “If I don’t get to punch him you can’t either.” 

Trowa turned, his jaw clenched in anger. “I won’t stop you from taking your shot.” 

“Darren can go fuck himself. I’m not going to make a scene and be late meeting Dad’s plane.” Quatre’s expression softened as the anger began to bleed away. “I let him have way too much power over my life for too long, but not anymore. He is not going to overshadow and ruin this weekend for me. For us. I get so little time with my dad as it is, I’m not wasting it on that asshole.”

Nodding slowly, though his expression was still not happy, Trowa turned and began walking in the direction of Mr. Winner’s terminal. “Okay. I’ll let it go. For now.” 

“Forever.” Quatre’s voice was firm and brooked no argument. “I’m serious, Trowa, forget about him. He’s not worth it.” 

“He’s not.” Trowa nodded his head in agreement. “But you are. No one gets to say the things he did to you and get away with it. He needs to learn some manners.” 

Quatre slowed then stopped, tugging on Trowa’s hand until he turned. He stepped close and wrapped his arms around Trowa, ignoring the people who were now maneuvering around them like they were a rock in a stream, and smiled, warmth and affection clear on his face. “That’s why you are a much better person than he is. You care about people and don’t treat them as if they are things to use for social capital. That means more to me than a few spiteful words from a spoiled man child ever will. I don’t need a knight in shining armor to protect my honor. It speaks for itself in the ways I conduct myself.” 

Trowa pulled Quatre close and kissed the top of his head, holding on tight for a moment before relaxing. “I know you’re right, but I still want to punch him into the next county.” 

Quatre chuckled and Trowa could feel the vibrations go through him like the deep rumbling purr of a cat, making his body respond as if it had a mind of its own. “If it makes you feel any better, I do too.”


End file.
